Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Home Goods Has My Style!

This is a compensated review from BlogHer and HomeGoods

Raising 3 kids in the past 11 years has left my home decor pretty basic. Aside from removing some carpet for Pergo and painting half the interior, toys and simple, comfortable furniture rule our home. We mainly use family photographs to trim our walls and fall short in knowing about the latest trends.

I had the opportunity to work with BlogHer, Home Goods(a store where you can find up to 60% off brand name prices everyday) and the StyleScope Quiz to find out what type of home decorator I am. Here is my result..

Earthy Casual
You're interested in creating a welcoming home where people feel comfortable and happiness flourishes. You appreciate the warmth and individuality of natural materials and handcrafted things and are inspired by colors and forms from nature. You love mixing up different textures and are sensitive to the tactile qualitiesof objects. Your style is grounded and solid, not flighty or frilly. And you are never taken in by the trend of the moment.

You value comfort. Your home is a warm and open friendly place, and you feel happiest when everyone is cared for and relaxed in your space. Elements like pillows, throws, overstuffed furniture, and good lighting set the mood. You may also enjoy layering different fabrics or mixing patterns to create a cozy effect.

I was impressed. Home Goods knows me to a T. Given a gift card to the store, we needed to come up with a plan. Our living room (when tidy) has only a few couches and a lot of open floor space. Usually that space gets covered with toys. I envision a cozy corner for my husband and I to sit and read. A nice lamp and a comfortable chair would fit and with the soft lighting, we could use that area to read to our youngest at night.

Also, we need to take care of a space that we've neglected. Our tall walls include a large space above our fireplace that we often change with the seasons, but still don't cover effectively. We like the idea of a mirror in that spot. We have plenty of photo art, we want something different for the space.

Plan in mind, we headed to the store. With something for every room of the home including outdoor decor, we strolled around a bit and took it all in. Encountering clearance shelves, discounts galore, the brand names at affordable prices, we found ourselves in the furniture area and I immediately gravitated to a dark brown leather chair. $250! It was a steal for the soft polished leather, and the comfort was incredible. At first glance, you'd think it was stiff, but I sunk right in! Imagining the fall weather upon us, I chose a luxurious throw blanket made of polyester but felt like silk!

I must say I often got distracted by all the sales and especially the Cuisinart cookware, but my focus went back to my living room! I found what seems to be a bathroom accessory as my side table accessory, but at $79, the price was hard to beat. A shelf for holding a drink and late-night snack, a catch-all drawer and some shelves for books is what I had in mind. We vetoed a small table lamp when my hubby mention using the shelf for a glass of wine, and we began looking at the standing lamps. On clearance from $59, we walked away with a gorgeous lamp for $43. Finally we found such a variety of mirrors, round, rectangular, framed and for $40 found a 35"X 29" match. In all, we spent $432.96, original retail price totaled over $800. We saved nearly 50%!

Our finished looks...

Click to enlarge the before and after shot...Thanks to Home Goods and BlogHer for an amazing opportunity! Now YOU can win a gift card for $100 to a HomeGoods store near you (one winner)!

-------------------------------------------------To enter to win a $100 HomeGoods gift card - take the StyleScope Quiz and tell me what your style is in the comments below - or you may leave a link to your post on your own blog in the comments below. You must do this first before any additional entries.

Rules:
* No duplicate comments.
* You may receive one additional entry by Tweeting this giveaway with @themomjen and a link to this post. You must leave a link in the comments.
* You may receive one additional entry by blogging about this contest including a link to this post. You must place a link to your post in the comments.
* This giveaway is open to US residents, aged 18 and over
* Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail.
* You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
*View the Official Rules here.

The contest will begin at September 16th and will end October 14th. Make sure that your e-mail is enabled in your profile, or is in your post. Anonymous comments are not allowed.

Your home is warm and inviting, and expresses your curiosity and zest for life. You have wide-ranging interests, and an appreciation for many different cultures and ways of life. You bring a sense of the far-flung world into your home through its décor through unique or artisan-made treasures. Objects in your home tend to reflect your personality, your passions, your values, and your eclectic interests. This gives your home a sense of intrigue and comfort.

You value order. You feel happiest if your home is well organized. You understand that when your house is in order, your mind feels clearer. Rather than a lot of meaningless objects or overly-designed items, you are happier with a few well-placed things. Your home is your respite from a busy life. Try to avoid letting things into your home that you don't really love.

this is pretty much right, tho i'm not one to keep away the clutter. i also saw the color palette on the side they give you w quiz...it's about right, too lol

tina, you are a Country CasualYour home expresses your open, easygoing approach to life. You love unique finds, and can turn a few mismatched garden chairs or floral teacups into a charming arrangement. You appreciate a pretty mix of relaxed pieces, like painted wood or weathered furniture, lovely florals and other patterns, lots of throws and pillows, mementos and bunches of fresh flowers that give your home a unique sense of breeziness and charm.

You value comfort. Your home is a warm and open friendly place, and you feel happiest when everyone is cared for and relaxed in your space. Elements like pillows, throws, overstuffed furniture, and good lighting set the mood. You may also enjoy layering different fabrics or mixing patterns to create a cozy effect.

I am Earthy Casual, I wish I had the knack of decorating my house like that! actually the top half of my room is decorated. Everything that is within childrens reach is sort of bare! This could help out a lot ! thanks!

Here from Rhoda's blog initially! Fun giveaway! My quiz said that I am "glamorous classic", which is great if I was allowed to decorate my way....four kids, two dogs and one husband dominate here! =)Thanks for hosting the giveaway!Jennifer @ Fiddle Dee Dee

According to the quiz, I am Country Classic. I'm looking at my open kitchen/dining/living area as I type and I see: samplers hanging on the walls, ruffled floral valances, oak cabinets with arched doors...yeah, maybe they're onto something. :)